But as all these thoughts flashed through her head in only an instant, Karen realized that that was then and this was here and now! She pressed the button and heard a buzz.But as all these thoughts flashed through her head in only an instant, Karen realized that that was then and this was here and now! She pressed the button and heard a buzz. a few seconds later she could hear the stepping of heavy padded feet and the door began to open, and she found herself looking into the face of what for all the world appeared to be the face of a Giant Panda like you see in the zoo, except that this one was a bit over two meters tall and standing upright, wearing a bathrobe! "Hello?" he spoke in a strange and mellow, pleasant non-human voice. She was looking down at the floor where he was standing at what she thought were black house slippers of some kind that he was wearing, until she realized that she was looking at his real, furry feet! "You must be Karen", he then said. "Won't you please come in? I think you're very pretty." Blushing as she entered his apartment, and wondering if he was coming onto her already, or just trying to be friendly? The air in his apartment had an odd herbal odor of some sort, but the place appeared to be very clean and spacious and lavishly furnished. |